158 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



halves, these halves unite again in a few days. If 

 the section be complete, two perfect animals is the 

 result ; and even if the body is torn away, and only a 

 portion of the base remains, from this fragment a new 

 offspring will sometimes rise up to occupy the place of 

 its parent at least so says Dicquemare'* ; and yet, 

 according to the same authority, a wound or rent of 

 the basis of an Actinia often proves fatal. 



On November 9th, 1772, writes the Abbe Dicque- 

 mare, I clipped a brown Anemone (by a horizontal 

 section) through the body; the basis, together with 

 that part of the stump that was left to it, shrunk up 

 and remained motionless, where it was attached till 

 January 13th, when it shifted its place. On the 15th 

 I very distinctly perceived two rows of limbs growing 

 out of the part where the section was made, and the 

 animal moved along. The next day I offered it bits 

 of mussels, which it laid hold of and ate. These 

 growing limbs were at first of a sullied white; they 

 grew browner and browner every day, and are at 

 present of the same colour as the coat of the animal. 

 They are pretty near as large as they were before the 

 operation, but I have not perceived as yet the beau- 

 tiful blue globes which surround the disc of the per- 

 fect animal. 



As to the part cut off, consisting of about half 

 the body, and wherein the limbs and mouth are placed, 

 I offered it, after the operation was performed, that 

 brown part of a mussel, by the help of which it moves 

 along, and whence the beard spreads out. This bit, 

 which is not easily digested by Sea- Anemones, was at 

 * Dicquemare, Phil. Tr.ons., Abridg. vols. xii. andxiv. 



